When we stand together
by DiniLou
Summary: 'you can't fix it, and I can't prevent it'  'They say actions speak louder than words, but sometimes you need to use words to show them how to act'  What will he do when she needs him to try to show everyone he cares? What if he only cares about her?


I do not own ANY NARUTO! I just love these characters and the song I used is also not mine which I love to. Because I love the characters and the lyrics I have mixed them into a story. The plot is all I have created and everything else is owned by different artists or authors.

**SIDE NOTE MUST READ PLEASE!** Okay so just for convenience sake the sand and the leaf villages are going to be relatively close together. Like the edge of the Leaf village is the border you have to cross to reach the sand. I know it's messed up but I want Gaara to be seen from both lands without technology involved.

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><p>He's finally found the <em>one <em>that cares about him. But with the war and her desire for him to show the world he does care how far will he go? How will he break down his walls and throwaway his pride to show her just how much he cares… about her. With the help of Naruto and the guys he shows the sand and the leaf that _when we stand together that's when we all win. _'They say actions speak louder than words but sometimes you need to use words to show them'

For weeks he'd been watching her. Studying her. Weeks ago he'd found the one person who treated him like a person, and not a monster. She talked to him, she valued his opinion and not just because she was afraid of him. He found the one person who wasn't afraid of him, who wasn't afraid to look him in the eye. The one person other than his brother and sister who would stand up for him and probably the only one who would ever stand up to him. He'd found one girl, one simple pink haired girl who made him want to continue living but not alone. He wanted to have her near him, whether it was just talking to her, or fighting with her. He wanted to be near her.

Today was the day. Today he was going to tell her. In his own kind of way.

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><p>(Gaara's POV)<p>

I saw her sitting there on a park bench and walked over to her, my expression as masked as ever. I sat down next to her and closed my eyes like I normally would have done any other day. Within moments I felt her gaze upon me, searching my face looking for something. I wondered what she was looking at, what she was looking for.

I didn't open his eyes when he spoke. "It's impolite to stare" I said.

"I wasn't staring. I was… just checking." She said.

"Checking for what?" I asked only now looking towards her to see that she had the faintest of pinks painted upon her cheeks.

"For… signs of illnesses." She said. "I am training to become a medical ninja remember." She stated finally looking away from my face towards the blowing grass in the valley across from her.

It made sense, the excuse did. But I didn't believe it; maybe I didn't want to believe it. I hoped she was searching my face for something else, like maybe fascination. No that was the wrong word, everyone looked at him with fascination, just not the right kind of fascination. Admiration maybe, I didn't know what I really wanted her to be looking for but I hoped whatever she was looking for would be a good thing.

The silence that had settled between us was not awkward nor was it new. Many times when we were together we sat in silence. I would usually glance at her and watch her as she thought. When I watched her it was almost as though I could see the little gears working in her head. I often wondered what was on her mind

I looked at her today and saw the wind gently playing with her hair, the pink strands of hair mingling with her pail skin and swaying just above her shoulders. I loved her hair. Many thought her hair was strange or just too different but I liked that in her own ways she was unique too. Like me when people looked at her one of the first things they noticed was her differences. But unlike him another thing they quickly noticed was how beautiful she was.

But I didn't like her for her beauty only. I admired her courage, her loyalty, her strength and her smarts. She was kind and gentle but firm and strong. She would stand by her friends when facing death even if given the chance to run, and I knew she would stand with me to. It was just the way she was, no one deserved to be deserted in her oppinon. And the less you had or the less you gave the more she gave to you.

I would be leaving in a few weeks' time, returning back to my own land. I didn't know if I would be able to tell her or do this any other time then today. It was perfect now, we were alone and that's all I needed. I looked over to her and she seemed to be studying a flower she held in her hands. I didn't know how he missed it the first time because it was my favorite flower. Not that I liked flowers, at all. I just liked her. And this particular flower was none other than the Sakura blossom.

She looked so peaceful at the moment. As though nothing on her mind was bugging her, but I knew that was untrue. A war was going on, well threatening to be anyway. Between my land and hers, she was trying to mend the peace between the nations by bringing health to all citizens but she was not succeeding. It seemed as though she was the only one trying to prevent this war from taking place, and in truth she probably was,she was trying and that's more than anyone else did.

"Sakura I…" I began to say but I couldn't finish. I was never good with words.

When she looked up at me I froze. _I was never good with words._

"**So don't use words**_**" **_My inner demon spoke. _Don't use words. _I could do that surely.

I leaned forward closing the gap between us and lightly brushing her lips with mine. She seemed surprised at this act at first but then she gave in; slightly. It only lasted a few seconds when she pulled away.

"Gaara… I" She started. "I can't, not now."

And he thought understood. This wasn't necessarily rejection; just she had a lot on her plate at the moment. Well that's what he thought until she continued.

"Not now, not with you, not when there's threat for war." She continued. I could see the layer of tears glazing her eyes ready to fall.

I nodded, I understood. I really did; their countries were feuding about what to do with the jinchuriki's. The sand wanted to fight with them, the leaf wanted to protect them. The sand was saying they only wanted to protect them to gain the full power of the one tails and the nine tails; the last two jinchuriki's.

You'd think me being one step away from being Kazekage would mean I'd have some say, but no one trusted me, no one cared about me or my oppinion. So in turn I learned to trust few, and I cared for even less.

I looked at the woman beside me and watched her carefully.

" I need to know…" She whispered, " I need to know that I'm not the only one fighting for peace." She said.

"Gaara," She willed me to comprehend using her eyes. "I want to be with you, I really do" She said kissing me on the cheek lightly as I awaited the _but….._

"But I can't. I need to know people care, that you care. That they understand we can't just throw lives away." She said

"I need them to know it's wrong, that we shouldn't fight each other. I need them to know we need to stand together." She whispered as a tear fell down her cheek.

I whipped it away and asked her "What do you want me to do?"

She was letting tears slip down her face steadily now as she rested her head on my shoulder. "To fix it, to prevent it, to show me and everyone else you can and do care for others like I know you do. But you can't fix it, and I can't prevent it." She sighed and slowly got up to walk away.

I reached for her hand but stopped myself. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't know just how far I would go for her.

After the minutes passed I finally got up, hollow and angry. _Somehow, every time I find happiness they ruin it._ _They always find a way to stand in the middle. _

"**Make them pay" His inner demon said. "Make them all pay. Destroy them, crush them" He urged.**

But I knew that would solve nothing. If anything it would just prove I was a monster. I needed a way to prove I wasn't, to do something, anything to show Sakura I cared about what happened to the people that weren't just those that accepted me. That it wasn't only her he cared for. But how do you do that when I truly only cared for her and a few of my close friends.

I didn't realise someone calling me until the said someone grabbed my shoulder.

"Hey man, you okay?" Asked the blonde boy. Naruto, my first true friend and the only one who knew what I went through every day.

I nodded in response.

"You sure? I called you three times and it was like you didn't hear me. You must be thinking about something serious. Is it Sakura?" He asked. _Sakura_. Her name caught my full attention.

"What?" I asked.

"Come on man don't play dumb." He said nudging my shoulder with his elbow winking. "Practically the whole town knows there's something between you two." He said smugly. If this conversation had happened six months ago I would have been surprised Naruto wasn't upset. But for five months now he had been with the Hyuga heir and he was quite pleased that he'd moved on when he decided Sakura wasn't for him.

I gave him a confused look before deciding if there was nothing I could think of to do maybe Naruto could help. Everyone else would have thought it would be a waste of my time to ask this reckless carefree ninja for help but I believed in him.

So I explained, sort of. I told him that it was true I did care for Sakura and when I notified her of this she admitted to feeling the same way but that it was impossible. That she was under too much stress at the moment and that she needed someone -me- who could show the two lands that it's wrong to fight your allies and to throw lives away.

"Do you have an idea Naruto?" I asked him.

"Well, being that we are the Jinchuriki's we should be able to do something, I mean isn't it us they are fighting over." He said.

"We tried that Naruto remember, we want to fight." I explained.

"Oh yea," He said. "Well why don't you do something you usually wouldn't. You know something out of your comfort zone. When people do that it usually means they are trying."

I looked at him awaiting further explanation when he said "Okay… so you don't let people in, and you don't open up to others so why don't you do that. That's what she wants you to do isn't it?" He asked.

"But how...?" I asked.

"They say that actions speak louder than words, but sometimes you have to use words to show them how to act." He said.

I was shocked, I believed in him but I didn't believe he would end up saying something like this.

"Come on," He said. "I have an Idea." And he led the way.

It had been days since Naruto had told me his plan and I wasn't too sure about it but I had to try. If I tried she'd no that I can be the man I am with her alone when I'm with everyone else.

Now we were ready. We had set up on the border that separated our two lands. Previously Ino had given me a pill that would dissolve my fear so I wouldn't back out of this. I would still be completely in control of what I was doing and saying I just wouldn't be so pride conscious and be able to say what I wanted to.

A crowd had gathered. We'd sent out a message to the two lands if they wanted to hear the opinion of their Jinchuriki's they needed to come to this spot today at three. It was now two fourty-five and people were steadily arriving. I looked around for my friends and found Naruto, Kiba, Kankuro, Shikamaru, Sasuke, Choji, Rock Lee, Neji, Shino, Hinata, Ino, Temari, and Tenten standing behind me. Hinata and Tenten were swallowing the fright pills because they don't really like big audiences and Shikamaru was swallowing a pill too because he felt it was too _troublesome. _Ino didn't give any to Temari, Naruto, Kiba, Kankuro, Rock lee, or Sasuke because they honestly had no self-consciousness issues with this so they didn't need them. And Shino, Neji, and Choji didn't need them either because they weren't preforming.

I wasn't surprised that my brother and sister agreed to help out, or Ino's group, Kiba's group or Rock lee's group. I didn't expect Shino to agree but really he would only be standing there and Hinata wanted to do this for Sakura and Naruto so she came despite her obvious insecurities. But who I really didn't expect was to see here was Sasuke. He had come back to the leaf around the same time Naruto stopped chasing Sakura and maybe he was the reason Naruto moved onto a new life, but even though he finally straightened himself out I wasn't too sure about him just yet. I knew that despite Sasuke's mask much like my own he did care for the pink haired girl just as I did and maybe that was why. But when he told me that she deserved better than him and not just because she had moved on, I truly believed he ad turned over a new leaf.

We went over our plan one more time before taking positions.

Quick Sakura's POV

Lady Tsunade told me that I was to meet at the border of the leaf and sand at three this afternoon for an important meeting but she didn't give me any details about it. I asked some of my friends who might have known what was going on but they too didn't give me anymore answers than that people would be gathering there for a message.

It was now two O'clock and I began heading over to the borders. It would take me almost forty-five minutes to get there so I figured I would be just fine. The whole way there I wondered what was going on.

When I did get there Tsunade was waiting for me.

"Sakura, come on." She said as she guided me to the front of the crowd. Being the Hokage's apprentice had its ups and downs. But this was definitely an up. The crowd was huge, almost everyone form the two lands was gathered in the bally that separated our lands. I looked at what would have drawn such a huge crowd and was so shocked at the sight that stood before me.

Gaara, he was standing there with Naruto, Sasuke, Kankuro, Temari, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Hinata, Kiba, Shino, Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee on a sand platform. They were slowly rising as Gaara had the sand hold them up for all to see. Every row where the shinobi where lined up horizontally was a little taller than the first so they would all be seen.

I was standing on the side of the border that meant he was in Sand territory with Naruto to his left on the Leaf's side. Behind them were five of the guys; Kiba, Sasuke, Kankuro, Rock Lee, and Shikamaru. Kanuro and Shikamaru where behind Gaara so it seemed as though he was in the middle of them, representing the Sand. Rock Lee and Sasuke were on Naruto's side behind him giving off the same effect representing the Leaf. Kiba was dead on the border. Then behind the five boys where the four girls. Just steps behind Kankuro was Ino and behind Shikamaru was Temari. On Naruto's side behind Rock Lee was Tenten and behind Sasuke was Hinata. But the rest of them had moved off to the side of the _stage _would you call it? Well Shino, Choji, and Neji were off to the side obviously not participating in this whatever it was.

I was so confused on what was going I didn't realise the crowd was hushing.

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><p>(Gaara's POV)<p>

I took my place standing a foot from the border on the Sand's side beside Naruto who stood a foot from the border on the Leaf's side. I had the sand elevate us two feet just so that we could be seen.

I couldn't believe I was about to do this. I silently thanked Ino for that pill because I would have backed out for sure. Whenever people did something like this I always thought of them as weak and sensitive but sensitive was what she wanted me to show the world. So I was glad when Naruto proposed this obscure plan.

That's when I spotted her, standing there looking at us with wide eyes. What did she think I was going to do? I looked over at Naruto who held up his thumbs. Great, let's get this over with.

I nodded to him and he held up his hand to signal we were ready. The sand beneath the feats of our friends behind us uncovered their instruments, and they began to play the tune. With the guys strumming on their guitars and the girls dancing in the background we were ready to go.

The crowd was confused but soon they wouldn't be. I hopped it was a good thing that the civilians hadn't attacked one another yet, maybe that meant they didn't want this either. Maybe war was only a threat because of my jackass father the Kazekage. Wanting to ruin as many lives as possible just cause he couldn't get rid of me.

I looked at her once more before I started.

_One more depending on a prayer  
>And we all look away<br>People pretending everywhere  
>It's just another day<em>

I sang. I backed up slightly as Naruto stepped forward and took his cue.

_There's bullets flying through the air  
>And they still carry on<br>We watch it happen over there  
>And then just turn it off<em>

And then the rest of them kicked in, the guys and the girls took up the chorus. With Naruto and I in the lead and our friends in the back we were sending a message, or so I hoped.

_(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>We must stand together<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>There's no getting even<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>Hand in hand forever<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>That's when we all win<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>That's, that's, that's when we all win<br>That's, that's, that's when we all win_

I looked over at her to see her smiling. She was having a good time at least. She smiled even bigger when our eyes connected and I returned her smile and nodded in her direction.

_They tell us everything's all right  
>And we just go along<br>How can we fall asleep at night?  
>When something's clearly wrong<em>

I thought this part of the song would have been appropriate for me to sing being as I was the youngest sibling no one told me anything, Kankuro and Temari always said things were just fine. Plus I couldn't fall asleep anyway due to what was wrong with me. Well what was special about me as she said.

Then Naruto once again took over.

_When we could feed a starving world  
>With what we throw away<br>But all we serve are empty words  
>That always taste the same<em>

Being a starving child when he was young he knew about this more than anyone else and you could tell he felt everything he was singing because it was true to him.

This time the girls, Naruto and I were the only ones picking up the chorus as the guys behind us just continued the beat.

_(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>We must stand together<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>There's no getting even<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>Hand in hand forever<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>That's when we all win<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>That's, that's, that's when we all win<br>That's, that's, that's when we all win_

Now I had my sand move me over so Naruto and I were farther away from the group when we started again. As I began to sing I through in some actions as Naruto said I should have done, letting the viewers and Sakura know that somewhere inside of me I do care.

_The right thing to guide us  
>Is right here, inside us<br>No one can divide us  
>When the light is leading on<em>

And Naruto started once more for the final time.

_But just like a heartbeat  
>The drumbeat carries on<em>

And the drumbeat carries on  
>(Just like a heartbeat)<p>

He clapped his hands as he sang in order to mimic a drumbeat or a heartbeat.

Together, all of us, for the final verse started up again.

_(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>We must stand together<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>There's no getting even<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>Hand in hand forever<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>That's when we all win<br>(Hey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
>That's, that's, that's when we all win<br>That's, that's, that's when we all win_

Surprisingly when we finished our song people were cheering for us. Sakura included.

But I wasn't completely finished.

"A war between our nations is not necessary. You people were able to stand side by side without harm done to either sides of this border, and to what we are fighting about" I said. I moved Naruto and I so that we were together on the border now when I continued to speak. "We do not wish to hide like cowards. We will be cautious but we will not let you protect us." I said to the people gathered here. But I looked at Tsunade when I said the last part.

"We are going to fight." Naruto declared.

"But not as weapons, as people defending our lands." I finished for him so my father didn't think I was giving into his demands.

The crowd around them was still silent. He didn't know if they were taking it in or not.

"Throwing our lives away while fighting our allies is a stupid way to go" I said.

"Yea!" Naruto put in.

"And if you choose not to listen and stop this nonsense" I threatened giving many powerful figures a death glare "I will personally stop it."

No one said a word still. They probably didn't believe me.

This is the second part where the gang came into the picture. I saw them moving through the crowds having people step aside so the border line that separated the two nations had five feet of emptiness on both sides.

"If you choose to continue, I will personally put up my walls." I said. And as I said so a huge sand wall separated the nations, with Naruto and I rising on top of sand wall.

"To protect the civilians of both the Sand and the Leaf this wall will stand until a peace treaty is agreed upon and enforced." I finished.

"Yea!" Naruto put in again.

Now it was Tsunade's turn to input on this situation. Of course she had been included in their plans and had already decided which direction she wanted to take this.

She stepped forward and stated her opinion. "I do not believe the way to solve problems is by war, I believe that Naruto and Gaara are also human beings and not just Jinchuriki as many of you believe so I do not like it but I am willing to let Naruto's fate rest in his own hands. With help from the Leaf. Gaara," She now spoke directly to me. "I hope you will be given the same opportunity in your land" She said. When she finished the crowd erupted into cheers. I hoped that would be a yes.

"With hopefully these matters solved Gaara can you please remove your wall now?" She asked.

I just nodded. "Of course." I said.

When the people began to clear out I thanked Naruto for all he had done, I knew all along he would be the one to decide his fate and that he was perfectly capable of it. I also thanked everyone else for their parts. Then I was the only one left in the deserted valley.

I didn't know where Sakura had gotten to and actually I forgot that she was the reason I had done this. It was until I turned around to find her standing there arms folded across her chest giving me a once over.

"What was that?" She asked.

"I fixed it." I said. I was back, I had proved to her what I needed to prove and I would do no more. At least not yet.

"When I said I wished you could fix it I meant just try talking to your father or something, not throw a freaking concert," She said in disbelief.

"Hn. My Fathers a jackass" I simply replied.

She laughed, of course she would.

"And that language upon you is not becoming." I said again with a drop of tease in my voice.

"I didn't swear and many people find me very becoming." She smiled like a child with candy.

"You are becoming very conceited Sakura." I said. And she laughed.

"How come I never get to see that side of you?" She asked me teasingly.

"You see this side all the time." I said.

"No the one that through a concert" She said again.

"Because that side doesn't exist." I answered.

"Sure it does Gaara, you just showed everyone. You know you have a lovely voice" She said taking a step closer.

I just glared at her. "That side was induced by pills and Naruto's ideas" I said again.

"Well then I'll go thank Naruto" She said as she turned around. I waited, she was just putting on a little show like she usually did.

But she kept walking. Two can play at that game. I turned my back and started walking inwardly smirking.

I could once again feel her eyes upon me but that only encouraged my desire to continue walking.

"Gaara," She said.

"Hn." I replied as I turned to look at her.

"Thank you," She said. And I nodded. I looked away when she called my attention back to her.

"Gaara," She said once again. I looked at her and noticed she had taken a few steps closer.

"hn." I replied.

"You didn't let me finish. I wanted to thank you because I knew just how much it would have hurt your pride to get up and do that. And I wanted to thank you because I know you did that for me." She said taken another step closer.

"You are becoming extremely conceited. When did this start?" I said again with slight mock in my voice.

"Since I met you" She answered smugly. She took a step closer and I could now feel her skin lightly brushing against mine. "Thank you" She whispered to me.

I didn't have time to respond because soon I felt the light brush of her soft lips against mine. This time I wasn't letting her slip away. I encircled her in my arms and kissed her back. This kiss was much less testing and much more exploration.

When we did break apart for air she smiled and backed out of my arms. She began to walk towards her village and when I didn't follow her she turned around and asked "Aren't you coming?" and smiled at me.

I nodded and eventually caught up to her. When I was caught up to her and I was now walking beside her I grabbed her hand and silently walked back the Leaf village. I looked down at her and she smiled but not to just me, smiling at the general outcome of everything. Some weight had been lifted off her shoulders and a new type of life had been introduced to both me and her.

She was the one, and now she knew.

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><p>Hope you liked XD I have many other stories that I should probably continue so if you are someone who is reading another one of my stories and it has not been updated in a while I'm very sorry. I usually hear a song that I'd like to write a story about and tehn the stories I plan on being stories and not just oneshots or songfics are being left out for long periods of time. Plus life is getting difficult and busy for me at the moment but I spend most of my free time trying to finish or update those stories.<p>

Anyway thanks for reading XD 3 !

-Animeloverly31 ;)


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